Football - what do we love about it? (with a bit of Brown to Sunderland? thrown in)

[AndyT]

I knew what goal was coming before I clicked on the link. I seem to remember that goal used to crop up a lot on The Big Match along with the Roger Davies miss for Derby at Stamford Bridge, which still makes me laugh when I think of it.

LOL :smile: .. Of course, the Roger Davies miss! .. Classic stuff.

The great thing about Eddie Gray's goal is that he just leaves the defenders on their backsides and also, where he picks the ball up. Nowadays, a player would turn away from goal there and look to lay it back to a left-back to cross in the box. Not Eddie Gray, though!

The last player I saw come close to that at RH was Freddie.

That goal against Blackpool and also one I recall against Rochdale, where he received a short throw-in in front of the East Bank with his back to the play. Turned and drifted past a couple of players, before unleashing a powerful shot that the keeper could only beat back out to Mark Bentley who followed up to score. Just a moment of genius that came from a nothing situation.

 

[BrettieAngell]

Kevan Hurst was none too shabby.

Yep good shout.

 

[B.B.The Legend Lives On.]

I think we just get clouded by time.

We all think back to great goals and moments, forgetting that the other 89 minutes was probably dire viewing.

That great 1980-81 season, when we were unbeaten at home, being an example. Many of those games were 1-0 or even 0-0 and probably would bore us rigid if we had to sit through them again now.

Never boring being undefeated at home as it rarely happens, our record in 1980-81 was as follows 19 wins and only 4 draws. scored 47 conceded only 6. 1 goal wins against:- Peterborough United 1-0; Wigan Athletic 1-0; Wimbledon 1-0; Bury 1-0; Darlington 1-0 & Bournemouth 2-1.
2 goal wins against:- Tranmere Rovers 2-0; Mansfield Town 2-0; Scunthorpe United 2-0; Stockport County 2-0; Bradford City 3-1; Torquay United 3-1 & Hereford United 2-0.
3 goal wins against:- York City 3-0; Aldershot 3-0 & Crewe Alexandra 3-0.
4 goal wins against:- Port Vale 5-1; Hartlepool United 4-0 & Halifax Town 5-1.
4 matches were drawn Northampton Town 0-0; Doncaster Rovers 0-0; Lincoln City 0-0 & Rochdale 1-1(final home match).
The amazing thing that season was between 18/8/80 & 27/12/80 we conceded only 3 goals at home Port Vale; Bradford City
& Torquay United whilst keeping 11 clean sheets in the league including 10 in a row. Our only defeat at home was in the F.A.Cup when we were beaten 1-0 by lowly Hereford United who finished the season third from bottom.

 

[AndyT]

Remember it well 'BB'.

It was around the time I first started going to away games and after Christmas, I pretty much went to every game home and away. I don't think I missed a home game all season.

IIRC, we didn't even draw a home game until January. We had won them all. A remarkable record. A pretty much unchanged side all season :-

Cawston
Stead
Yates
Moody
Cusack
Hadley
Pountney
Gray
Spence
Mercer
Otulakowski

Not forgetting contributions from a few others like Johnnie Walker, Gary Nelson and Phil Dudley.

We only let 31 goals in all season (5 in one match).

Great days!

 

[RHB]

So, is Brown going to Sunderland or am I on the wrong thread here?

 

[onceknownasrab]

So, is Brown going to Sunderland or am I on the wrong thread here?

Probably will to visit family but that's about it.

 

[AndyT]

So, is Brown going to Sunderland or am I on the wrong thread here?

We've gone on to better things.

Jump in. The water's lovely! :cool:

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

That chip for the first goal with the keeper hardly off his line was certainly aided because of a heavier ball. So guess its swings and roundabouts as the lighter balls are much easier to get to dip when hit with pace from closer range. A 20 yard free kick for example.

P.S The reason we will never see a goal like the second......The ref would stop the game for the injured Leeds player in the box.

Yes. Noticed the Leeds player having a rest just inside the box - no-one seemed to mind and just carried on with the game. Excellent.

And did I hear recently that the new balls aren't really that lightweight and that the old leather balls compare favourably when dry? Wet balls is another matter of course. Ooh erh missus. :blush:

 

[AndyT]

Marvellous thread title change, there! :cool:

 

[E for B and Billy Best]

Talking of mavericks, probably my favourite ever player was Eddie Gray.

Here's 12 minutes of pure class :-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuPN27TeLLE

It includes, around 10:15, the greatest goal I think I've ever seen by anyone.

Here it is, in it's own right, as well. It's the second of these two goals :-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=misIiftQQdQ

:thumbsup: :cool:

And look at the state of the pitch it makes our pitch this season look like a snooker table. The more I watch it the memories flood back, Eddie Gray certainly had magic in his boots.

 

[AndyT]

Totally agree. I don't think there were any pitches that were in good condition after Christmas.

The thing about Gray was that he was part of the exciting culture of wingers who ran with the ball and took players on.

Thinking about SUFC at the time, there was Willie Coulson, Colin Morris and Spud Taylor. As soon as they got the ball, you'd hear the crowds voices raise and cheer them as they bombed down the touchline.

Some of the great moments are seeing them charge forward, cross the ball at pace, then a bullet header flying into the net!

 

[RobM]

Yes. Noticed the Leeds player having a rest just inside the box - no-one seemed to mind and just carried on with the game. Excellent.

And did I hear recently that the new balls aren't really that lightweight and that the old leather balls compare favourably when dry? Wet balls is another matter of course. Ooh erh missus. :blush:

The weight of the ball at the start of the game is in the laws, 15 to 16 ounces, as I recall.

 

[E for B and Billy Best]

Totally agree. I don't think there were any pitches that were in good condition after Christmas.

The thing about Gray was that he was part of the exciting culture of wingers who ran with the ball and took players on.

Thinking about SUFC at the time, there was Willie Coulson, Colin Morris and Spud Taylor. As soon as they got the ball, you'd hear the crowds voices raise and cheer them as they bombed down the touchline.

Some of the great moments are seeing them charge forward, cross the ball at pace, then a bullet header flying into the net!

You are right. In any era a winger/wideman who could go past defenders and cross the ball will always be remembered fondly by fans. It's one of the reasons I never bought into the Beckham hype because wherever he got the ball on the pitch that was where the cross went in from. He was still accurate but also predictable.

 

[LCBB72]

Totally agree. I don't think there were any pitches that were in good condition after Christmas.

The thing about Gray was that he was part of the exciting culture of wingers who ran with the ball and took players on.

Thinking about SUFC at the time, there was Willie Coulson, Colin Morris and Spud Taylor. As soon as they got the ball, you'd hear the crowds voices raise and cheer them as they bombed down the touchline.

Some of the great moments are seeing them charge forward, cross the ball at pace, then a bullet header flying into the net!

You forgot Terry Johnson .

 

[fatgrandad]

Remember it well 'BB'.

It was around the time I first started going to away games and after Christmas, I pretty much went to every game home and away. I don't think I missed a home game all season.

IIRC, we didn't even draw a home game until January. We had won them all. A remarkable record. A pretty much unchanged side all season :-

Cawston
Stead
Yates
Moody
Cusack
Hadley
Pountney
Gray
Spence
Mercer
Otulakowski

Not forgetting contributions from a few others like Johnnie Walker, Gary Nelson and Phil Dudley.

We only let 31 goals in all season (5 in one match).

Great days!

Average age of that XI at the start of the 80/81 season was over 25 by my rudimentary calcs. No one under 23, let alone 18. And going out of the FA Cup in the first round at home to a team near the bottom of the table? Shocking. If only Shrimperzone had been around to keep the deluded manager on his toes and get his priorities right.

 

[AndyT]

You forgot Terry Johnson .

How could I forgot the great TJ and his North Bank song, of course ... "We've got Terry, Terry, Terry, Terry Johnson, on the wing, on the wing!" :happy:


Nowadays, sadly, it would be ... "We've got Terry, Terry, Terry, Terry Johnson in a diamond system playing a wide holding role, holding role!" :cry:

.................

 

[Ex-Member1]

How could I forgot the great TJ and his North Bank song, of course ... "We've got Terry, Terry, Terry, Terry Johnson, on the wing, on the wing!" :happy:


Nowadays, sadly, it would be ... "We've got Terry, Terry, Terry, Terry Johnson in a diamond system playing a wide holding role, holding role!" :cry:

.................

Please stop invoking these memories you are making me all misty eyed, too early in the day for that!

 

[LBBlue]

How could I forgot the great TJ and his North Bank song, of course ... "We've got Terry, Terry, Terry, Terry Johnson, on the wing, on the wing!" :happy:


Nowadays, sadly, it would be ... "We've got Terry, Terry, Terry, Terry Johnson in a diamond system playing a wide holding role, holding role!" :cry:

.................

Terry Johnson was like a breath of fresh air when he signed for the club a week after one of the most embarrassing defeats ever: 3-0 at Newport County which was their first win of the season - game 25 in mid January 1971 and our seventh without a win. Coming down from Newcastle as a 21 year old Terry got the winner on his debut and scored another 7 before the end of the season. Dave Elliott also came from Newcastle around the same time.

In the 71/72 promotion season he scored 13 goals from the wing with another 10 goals in 72/73 in Division 3.

Not only a winger but a goal scoring winger.

 

[Mick]

Terry Johnson was like a breath of fresh air when he signed for the club a week after one of the most embarrassing defeats ever: 3-0 at Newport County which was their first win of the season - game 25 in mid January 1971 and our seventh without a win. Coming down from Newcastle as a 21 year old Terry got the winner on his debut and scored another 7 before the end of the season. Dave Elliott also came from Newcastle around the same time.

In the 71/72 promotion season he scored 13 goals from the wing with another 10 goals in 72/73 in Division 3.

Not only a winger but a goal scoring winger.

That really was a poor season. That debut winning goal, brought the only victory in a run of 14 matches. The late upturn of fortune which took us to relative safety (18th) was down to not only the goals of Terry Johnson but also dumping hapless keeper Brian Lloyd and the by then past his not very good best Owen Simpson.

 

[LBBlue]

That really was a poor season. That debut winning goal, brought the only victory in a run of 14 matches. The late upturn of fortune which took us to relative safety (18th) was down to not only the goals of Terry Johnson but also dumping hapless keeper Brian Lloyd and the by then past his not very good best Owen Simpson.

Phil Chisnall didn't last much longer either.

We didn't have a centre half that season until Barker came in on loan. Joe Jacques missed the first half of the season and Gary Moore was also injured for most of it. After the Newport game we only lost 5 in 21 and the foundations of next season were in place. My favourite game was the 4-0 win at Darlington which kicked off at 3pm -usually they had a 3.15 ko. We were 3-0 up by 3.15 and lots of their supporters turned round and went home at 3.10. The Grimms coach arrived at 3.30.